Australian media rued their side’s “cruellest” exit from the Rugby World Cup on Sunday after Fiji squeezed past the Wallabies to reach the quarter-finals, despite a shock defeat to Portugal.
Two-time world champions Australia were knocked out even though Fiji crashed to an upset 24-23 defeat to the Portuguese, who enjoyed a maiden World Cup victory.
The result meant Australia finished third in Pool C, level on 11 points with Fiji, who advanced after beating the Wallabies earlier in the tournament.
Australia’s elimination adds to the pressure on head coach Eddie Jones.
“The Wallabies have been knocked out of the Rugby World Cup in France in the cruellest way possible,” rugby writer Julian Linden wrote in The Australian and The Daily Telegraph.
“The miracle the Wallabies had hoped for came very close to happening but not close enough as they were eliminated on a count back.”
The Sydney Morning Herald lamented “a brutal ending for Australia”.
“With Portugal ahead by a point, Wallabies players and coaches would have been screaming at their televisions for the men in red to run the ball,” wrote their rugby writer Tom Decent.
“Another converted try from Portugal would have seen Australia through to the last eight. It wasn’t to be. Eddie Jones’ horror World Cup continues.”
Rugby Australia is due to conduct a post-World Cup review into the stewardship of Jones, who has lost seven of his nine games in charge.
Former Wallabies centre Tim Horan told the Sydney Morning Herald that the board should stick with Jones.
“Let’s just let the emotion get out of this place in the next two or three weeks.
“The important thing is, Eddie still has the confidence of the players,” added Horan, who based his opinion on visits to the Australian camp during the World Cup.
“It gives me great comfort to see this young team still want to go places.
“It’s just a shame they haven’t been able to show it. But, generally, we can’t keep changing the coach all the time when we lose Test matches.
“If Eddie stays, we have to put a different structure around him.”
